Context

The Horror Film from Obama to Trump

Russell Meeuf from the University of Idaho joins Johanna this week to talk about his book White Terror: The Horror Film from Obama to Trump. He argues that horror films are a form of social and political critique for both conservatives and liberals and discusses how that was seen in the Obama era and the election of Donald Trump.   Dr. Russel Meeuf is a professor in the School of Journalism and Mass Media and the director of the film and television program at the University of Idaho.  He received his doctorate from the University of Oregon and specializes in research on popular media and culture. In particular, his work focuses on celebrity culture, popular cinema, masculinity studies, and disability studies. His writings have appeared in journals. Reflecting these interests, he is the author of several books on media culture, including White Terror: The Horror Film from Obama to Trump (Indiana University Press, 2022), Rebellious Bodies: Stardom Citizenship, and the New Body Politics (University of Texas Press, 2017) as well as John Wayne's World: Transnational Masculinity in the Fifties (University of Texas Press, 2013). He is also the co-editor of several collections on film and popular culture.

The Legacy of Cecil D. Andrus

Johanna is thrilled to be joined by Dr. Emily Wakild from Boise State University to learn more about one of Idaho’s most beloved governors, and the last Democrat to serve as governor of Idaho, Cecil D. Andrus. Dr. Wakild is a professor of environmental studies and the Cecil D. Andrus Endowed Chair for the Environment and Public Lands at Boise State University. Raised in eastern Oregon, she earned her B.A. from Willamette University in Salem, Oregon in 1999 and her PhD from the University of Arizona in 2007. Dr. Wakild’s main academic research excavates documents, images, interviews, and fragments of the past to explain why and how large spaces for nature conservation were built throughout the Americas. She is the author of Revolutionary Parks: Conservation, Social Justice and Mexico’s National Parks (Arizona 2011), which received awards from the Conference of Latin American History, the Forest History Society, and the Southeastern Council on Latin American Studies. She has also written extensively about environmental pedagogy, including with Michelle K. Berry, A Primer for Teaching Environmental History, (Duke 2018) and the article "Pedagogy for the Depressed: Empowerment and Hope in the Face of the Apocalypse" in The Routledge Handbook of Environmental History. In 2024, her study of national parks in South America will be published. Her research has been supported by the Fulbright Foundation, the National Science Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Dr. Wakild is currently working on several Idaho-based research projects including essays on "Mispronouncing Idaho" and work celebrating the ways conservation brings Idahoans together. Dr. Wakild is also a scholar for our Inquiring Idaho program and is available as a speaker at no charge. For more information, visit idahohumanities.org.

War. What is it good for?

Johanna interviews Kim Madsen Dill about the veteran’s literature class she teaches at the College of Southern Idaho, that was inspired by her father’s military service. Kim Madsen Dill has taught in the English Department at the College of Southern Idaho since 2004 and recently retired. She was the Writing Program Administrator for the English Department. Kim oversaw the writing program and was the Faculty Liaison for Dual Credit teachers. She also volunteered teaching English at the CSI Refugee Center. If you are interested in the bibliography provided by Kim Madsen Dill for this episode, please email johanna@idahohumanities.org.

Sociology of a Pop Star: Taylor Swift

In March, Boise State sociology professor Dr. Sharon Paterson offered a workshop course about Taylor Swift. Learn about the sociology of a pop star as Johanna discusses the course with Dr. Paterson and students Sophie Pederson and Jazmyne Hartogh.  Dr. Sharon Paterson’s 30-year career has been dedicated to implementing programs that increase college students’ success and learning, mentoring students’ academics, research and leadership, and teaching sociology courses on broad topics such as gender, inequality, work and higher education. Dr. Paterson’s passion is engaging students’ intellectual curiosity and helping them apply concepts to everyday life.   Sophie Pederson is a senior at Boise State University. She majors in Sociology and is also passionate about Anthropology and Psychology. After graduating, she plans to continue her studies in sociology or evolutionary psychology. In her free time she enjoys skiing and camping.    Jazmyne Hartogh is a senior at Boise State University, graduating this upcoming May of 2024. She is graduating with a bachelor’s in integrated media and strategic communications with an emphasis in Integrated Media, as well as earning certificates in Public Relations and Sports, Information, and Culture.

The Big Give

This special episode of Context is dedicated to all of the families who have been impacted by organ donation. Johanna is joined by Heather Platts and Bruce Michael Miller, who perform together as the musical duo Crazy Love.  Heather donated a kidney to Bruce and they produced an album of music to share their story and to give hope to others who are going through the organ donation process.    Heather Platts is a dynamic performer who holds back nothing in her performances and sings with the heart and passion of women like Bonnie Raitt and Grace Potter. She received a BA in Music Composition from the University of Idaho in 1996. Heather has released 2 full length albums of original songs produced and recorded in Nashville.  She has been a featured performer at the Boise Music Festival, Thousand Springs Festival of Art, Sisters in Songwriting Concert Series, and the inaugural “Chick Singer Night” in Boise and tours extensively with her duo “Crazy Love.” Heather teaches voice, piano and songwriting at her studio in Twin Falls.   Bruce Michael Miller is an award-winning songwriter, producer and world class guitarist who has toured and performed with Paul McCartney, Kenny Loggins, Laura Branigan, John Densmore (The DOORS) and many others. He is a professional songwriter who spent 25 years in Nashville, where he’s had over 40 of his songs recorded by performing artists including a number one song internationally with country artist Ashley Puckett. He is a songwriting consultant and music educator who has mentored songwriters on over 14,000 songs as well as having been a songwriting professor at Nashville State College.    Bruce relocated to Idaho in 2017, and immediately fell in love with the unique landscapes and friendly and laid-back residents. Currently the president of the Idaho Songwriters Association, Bruce teaches songwriting workshops as well as working with private clients.    Heather and Bruce travel around the west performing together as CrazyLove and they are also part of our Inquiring Idaho program.  If you are interested in having them speak and perform for your organization at no cost, you can find out more on our website at idahohumanities.org.